We have artex ceilings. Should we have this smoothed out and would this add value to our home?

We have lived in our house for decades and are considering downsizing.

With all the school fees we have had to deal with over the years, the house has become a bit neglected.

We live in a four bedroom detached house and have artex ceilings everywhere – and we’re not sure what the point of artex is.

Since we are considering selling the house, should we have all the artex ironed out? Does it add value to our home?

If we have the artex smoothed, how much would it cost and are there any risks involved?

Should asbestos be taken into account? And if we don’t have it removed, would it affect the price our house could fetch?

Jane Denton replies: For ceilings and walls, artex is a structured coating that is developed with combs to form swirls, fan shapes or other patterns. It was popular in the 1970s and 1980s.

Until about the mid-1980s, asbestos, now known to pose a health risk, was often used to strengthen artex. In 1999, the use of asbestos was banned.

Artex has fallen out of fashion and is often considered dated. Most potential buyers will be looking for ceilings and walls with a smooth finish.

Since you are looking to downsize, it would be wise to consider removing the artex in your home. However, an important point to determine from the outset is whether or not asbestos is present.

Let’s turn to a surveyor, an artex surveyor and a real estate agent to work out the best course of action and outline the possible implications for the price you can get for your property.

David Parish, a surveyor at Gates, Parish & Co, Upminster, said: If you don’t do anything about the artex ceilings now, they will attract the attention of surveyors and real estate agents later.

Artex ceilings or walls may contain asbestos under certain circumstances. Before putting the house on the market, it is a good idea to have the artex in your property tested by a licensed contractor to determine whether or not asbestos is present.

If asbestos is present, you may want to consider removing the artex before putting the home on the market.

Any asbestos must be removed by a professional and disposed of in a safe manner. The ceilings would then have to be replaced, which can be quite expensive.

It doesn’t cost much money to have the ceilings tested for asbestos and it would serve you well later.

My experience is that Artex ceilings in homes often do not contain asbestos.

If you choose to advertise the property without having the artex tested or replacing the ceilings, this may lead to a price reduction. Potential buyers are told what it will cost to resolve the problem.

Adam Calver, director at Shadow Environmental Services in Hertfordshire, said: I encounter many homeowners looking to sell their home and the potential new owner raises a red flag regarding possible asbestos.

This often leads to counter offers to cover costs or the failure of the sale.

We must assume that the artex contains asbestos until it is proven that this is not the case.

Having an asbestos survey carried out on a four-bedroom home will cost you between €300 and €400, depending on your location.

You can even opt for a simple asbestos sample examination for half the examination costs.

If your artex does not contain asbestos, then in my opinion smoothing the ceiling would not add value to the home when you consider the costs.

If there is a trace of chrysotile asbestos in the artex, you can leave it in place and inform the new owner, or remove it completely.

Unless asbestos is disturbed, it poses no risk.

Many people ask the question: ‘Can we just smooth out the artex, even though it contains asbestos?’ The answer is yes, you can.

But with this tactic you can effectively paper over the cracks. The asbestos will still pose a risk to anyone carrying out work on the ceiling, even if it is covered.

As for the longevity of the artex ceilings when skimmed, I have seen cracks develop in some cases. This makes the artex visible again, bringing the homeowner back to square one.

My advice is to have an asbestos survey carried out to check whether asbestos is present.

If you have a negative result, it may be best to leave it as is and save the results for the new owner.

If you have a positive sample result on the artex ceiling, completely removing the plasterboard may be the best option.

Once this is completed it will need to be re-planked and skimmed by a plasterer. The costs involved can be between £2,500 and £3,250 to remove the ceilings and almost the same for new ceilings.

While it may not add much value to your property, you are more likely to get your asking price.

A modern smooth ceiling with new lighting fixtures is certainly a feast for the eyes when someone enters.

If you plan to have asbestos removal work carried out, don’t forget to check insurance and certifications before starting the work.

Asbestos removal is highly regulated and should only be carried out by fully qualified, asbestos-trained workers.

Once the move is complete, you will receive a waste waybill and a reassurance air test report, if you decide to have it done.

Marc von Grundherr, director at Benham and Reeves, said: If you decide to remove the artex from your home, you have three main options.

You can remove the ceiling covering including the Artex finish, place a suspended ceiling under the Artex finish or sand or plaster the Artex.

If you can remove the ceiling in one piece, the chance of disturbing asbestos is very small.

Only when the artex is damaged can it be potentially dangerous.

The most common way to remove artex is to use a steamer and then scrape or sand it off, but this can be extremely risky if asbestos is present.

Having a plasterer sand over the artex is a much safer option, but it is only realistic if the artex is in good condition, and even then it can break down over time.

Artex itself won’t necessarily devalue your home, but the presence of asbestos certainly will.

So once you’ve tested and discovered it, you may want to take action before your home hits the market.

If the artex is asbestos-free, it is unlikely that the value of your home will decrease necessarily and if money is an issue, you’re better off adjusting your asking price a bit to account for the dated decor than taking on the high upfront costs of artex removal.